Automatic weighing-machine.



No. 669,703. Patented Mar. 12, l90l. F. S. PERRY.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 2-1, 1897.) (No Iodel. v 4 Sheets-Sheet i.

WITNESSES: Mil/1kD Patented Mar. l2, l90l.

F. s. PERRY.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Applicltion filed Sept. 24, 1897.) (lo Iodol.) 4 Shaata8hoot z.

M 9 r a M d a t n B a P R R E P S F 3 0 7 9 6 6 0 N AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept 24, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheats8hoot 3.

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No. 669,703. I Patented Mar. I2, I90l. F. S. PERRY.

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Applicltion filed Sept. 24, 1897.) (No Iodel.) 4 Shoots-Shut 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANK s. PERRY, or oALvEET, TEXAS.

AUTOMATlG WElGHlNG-MAGl-HNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,703, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed September 24, 1897. Serial No. 652,84r2. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calvert, in the county of Robertson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Weighing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic weighingmachines.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic weighing-machine possessing simplicity, accuracy, and capable of continuous and automatic operation. The peculiarities of construction will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents an outside view of my in achin e-its supporting-framework; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view through the weigL- ing hopper transversely to the partitionvalves; Fig. 8, a side view of the scale-beam and the weighing-hopper supported thereby; Fig. 4', a plan view of the scale-beam in its preferred form with a spherical form of movable balance-weight thereon; Fig. 5, a modified form of catch for a disch arge-valve, Fig. 6 showing an automatic feed-regulator for the filling-spout, and Fig. 7 showing the cut-off and discharge valves on the weighing-bucket in connection wit-h the double scale-beams.

Letter A designates a suitable framework of uprights and cross-bars, preferably in tower form, as shown in Fig. 1.-

The letter B designates the conveyer-spout for the wheat, cotton-seed, or other material which is to be weighed.

The letter D designates the discharge-spou t, to the bottom end of which may be attached the bag or other receptacle for the weighed material, that is passed through the weighing-hopper E, located within the tower between the conveyer-filling spout and the discharge-spout, before mentioned. This weigh ing-hopper consists of a rectangular box open at top and bottom, except as hereinafter specified, and preferably divided into two compartments by a partition F, Fig. 2. This partition extends midway between the sides of the box and to within a suitable distance of the top and bottom, so that a cut-off valve G and a discharge-valve H can operate within the hopper. The cut-off valve consists of a hinge-partition pivoted on a shaft I, eX- teuding transversely through the hopper and provided with a crank-arm J on the outside, by which the valve G may be thrown from one side to the other of the hopper, and thereby direct the material on one side or the other of the partition F. The upper end of the hopper is tapered, as shown in Fig. 2, to facilitate this division.

The discharge-valve H preferably consists of two wings connected by a brace or otherwise supported and pivoted in common to the transverse shaft K, having a crank L on the outside of the hopper similar to the shaft l above. Each wing of the dischargewalve is adapt-ed to form the bottom of its respective compartment as the valve is swung to one side or the other alternately. The cranks J and L of the cutoff and discharge valves, respectively, are connected by a link M or other suitable connection, whereby when the upper valve is open to one compartment the lower valve will close the bottom of the same compartment, and vice versa.

The weighing-hopper is provided with trunnions N at or near the top, by which it is supported upon one end of a scalebeam O, fulcru med on a cross-bar P, carried by the framework or otherwise. This scale-beam is preferably forked, as shown in Fig. 4, by which means it embraces the weighing-hopper and supports the same by engagement with the said trnnnions. The other end of the beam is provided with a longitudinal guideway, in which is mounted a movable weight Q, preferably of a circular form that it may readily travel in the said guideway. The weight is thus adapted to change its position toward or away from the fulcrum P of the beam, and thus vary its balancing effect upon the weighing-hopper and its contents. Other forms of balance-weights may be used, if so desired, but a movable form is preferred.

The scale-beam by its weight alone is adapted to balance the weight of the hopper and its attachments when the guideway of the beam is in a horizontal position. The amount of the balance-weight placed within the guideway is made to correspond with the predetermined amount of material to be weighed successively in each compartment of the weighing-hopper. This operation is effected and the automatic action secured by means of latches, which are adapted to maintain the discharge-valve in position, closing the compartment being filled until sufficient material has entered it to overcome the balance-weight Q and cause the hopper to descend, thereby opening the bottom of that compartment and throwing the cut-off valve to the opposite side to deliver the material to the other compartment, the bottom of which is simultaneously closed. This automatic latch preferably consists of a catch-hook R for each side of the dischargewalve and located at its lower outer edge, as shown in Fig. The catch is pivoted at r and has a horizontal arm forming a bell-crank lever and provided with a weight S at or near its outer end or other means tending to maintain the hook thrown inward toward the valve. A cross-piece T from the framework is located adjacent to the arm of the latch on each side and a little distance below it, so that it will raise the arm and free the catch when the loaded hopper descends, thereby allowing the escape of the material into the discharge-spout, which will at the same time throw the other wing of the discharge-valve to close the opposite compartment, which is held by its respective catch. Simultaneously the cut-off valve is operated, through the connection M or other means, to direct the material into the unfilled compartment, which when filled with the predetermined load of material will likewise be discharged and the opposite compartment will again be loaded, and so on continuously and automatically without the attention of the operator.

The object of the movable weight is to increase the speed of the descending hopper as soon as the compartment receives its load, thusinsuringaccuracyin the amount weighed. As soon as the scale-beam begins to tip and the weighted end having the guideways begins to rise the balance-weight, which normally and primarily occupies a position at the end of the beam,is caused to roll inward toward the fulcrum, and thus suddenly releases the loaded hopper. The guideways for theweight when the hopper is empty are preferably inclined at little downward from the horizontal and away from the fulcrumin a normal position of the beam, so that the balance-weight will normally take the outer position as shown in Fig. 3. The rise of the outer end of the beam when the proper load has been received by the hopper will cause it to roll inward, as above described and as indicated by dotted lines.

While a movable balance-weight is the preferred form, yet I may employ an ordinary fixed or adjustable weight on the end of the scale-beam. In this case the action would be slower,and it would be better to place the crossbar T, which serves to trip the catch, nearer to the weighted arm, as shown in Fig. 5. I may also employ a spring S in place of the weight, as shown in this figure. Any other means for tripping the hook at the proper time may be employed.

The weighing-hopper is guided by rollers U on guides V on the framework or by other means which will allow the free and easy up ward and downward movement of the hopper during the weighing operation.

ldo not confine myself to the exact construction herein shown and described.

in Fig. 2 I have shown the end of the filling-spout B of ordinary form. In the use of some material the flow is apt to be irregular, and to overcome this difiicultyl have designod a special automatic feed regulator which may be used in such cases with the weighing mechanism, but which, if unnecessary, may be dispensed with.

Referring to Fig. 6, the spout ll, conveying the material to the weighing-hoppcr, is provided with a drum 5, which revolves with the shaft 17, driven by the belt passing over the wheel a, which is on the outside of the spout. To the surface of this drum are attached strigs 0r flanges which cart-ya certain amount of material to each revolution of the drum. If all the material were fed onward by the drum-flanges without; other passage to the weighing-hopper, the spout would become choked, because the [iow of material is irregular and the feed would be regular. I provide, however, a by-path, through which the material fiows when it is in its normal open condition. weighing-hopper nearly reaches the predetermined weight, I close this by-path and send the remaining few pounds th rough the drun1- feed, securing accuracy in weighing the several amounts packed. My preferred form for doing this is by the use of a second scale-beam 1l,fulcrumed at 13,carried by the outerframework or otherwise. The fulcrum l? of the scale-beam 0, previously described, is mounted on this second or feed-scale beam instead of on the stationary framework. The first scale-beam is fulcrumed directly on the second beam as the preferred construction, the fulcrum-point of the second beam being between its balance-weight and the fulcrumsupport that the second beam carries for the mounting of the first beam. "he first beam may be otherwise than directly mounted on the second beam, as shown, as long as they are operatively connected. The effect is that the second beam will carry the weight of the first beamand the hopper, with its contents, up to a predetermined quantity, according to the adjustment of the balance-weight of the second beam. Then the second beam will tip and the hopper descend slightly; but the first scale-beam will remain nearly in its horizontal position till the further quantity onters the hopper, when the weight will tip the first or upper beam and the ball-weight there- When the amount in the lat in will roll in toward the fulcrum and cause a sudden descent of thehopper and consequent sharp cut off of the feed flow into that compartment, which compartment will be discharged of its load by the operation of the trip-catches on the discharge-valves, as hereinbefore described. For the deflection of the supply through the filling-spout, so as to secure a regular feed stream for the lower portion of the predetermined weight, I provide as the preferred arrangement the following construction: To one end of the feed-scale beam 11 is attached a link 7, connected. to a crank-lever 8, adapted to operate the valve or cut-off 6 in the by-path of the filling-spout. Normally this valve hangs vertically within the spout; but by means of the beam 11 and its adjustable Weight 15 the valve will be operated to close this by-path when nearly the required amount is passed into the weighinghopper. Forinstance, if it is desired that the machine discharge its load at exactly one hundred pounds the Weight 15 would be so adjusted that the valve 6 would be operated by an initial descent of the hopper When the hopper contains about ninety-five pounds, forcing the remaining five pounds of material to pass into the hopper through the automatic feeder. lVhen one hundred pounds are in the compartment, the scale-beam 0 will be operated by the descent of the Weighing-hopper, as hereinbefore described. In other words, the scale-beam 11 will allow the weighing-hopper to descend slightly When nearly the predetermined weight has been received. This slight descent or movement will send the remaining material necessary to make up the weight through the regulator, whereupon the scale-beam 0 will be operated by the further descent of the weighing-hopper, as previously described. A catch may be used similar to the catches R at the bottom of the weighing-hopper to hold the valve 6 in its inclined raised position if it be necessary.

Referring to Fig. '7, the principle involved in my scale-beam isillustrated in a slightlymodified form. The change of position of the rolling weight on the end of the scale-beam is not only to hasten the descent of the hopper, but to give said hopper sufficient momentum to overcome the springs on the latches which hold the discharge-valves in position. If it were not for this increased momentum as the hopper began to descend, the springs on the hooks would need to be very slight to avoid stopping the hopper when the crosspieces T struck the latches. By the change in position of the weight only the actual weighing is done on the knifeedges of the fulcrums, none of the other parts coming in contact at that particular moment.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An automatic weighing-machine comprising a Weighing-hopper E, a feed-spout B having two outlets to said hopper, a rotatable feed-drum mounted in one outlet, a valve for the other outlet, two scale-beams carrying said hopper with the first beam mounted on the second beam, and a connection between said valve and the second beam, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK S. PERRY.

Witnesses:

N. N. KEITH, J. T. WILcoX. 

